Friday Flash Sept 25, 2026
Help Shape the Future of the SkillsUSA Champions Hub
SkillsUSA wants to hear from chapter leaders and advisors about how the SkillsUSA Champions Hub can better support chapters and showcase their impact.
In partnership with Campbell & Company, SkillsUSA is hosting a 60-minute virtual focus group. Your feedback will help shape the hub's future content, communications and resources.
To take part, sign up here by Monday, Sept. 28. Campbell & Company will follow up with details and a calendar invitation.
Don’t Miss Out! Back-to-School Display Challenge Sponsored by Simple Green®
Twenty SkillsUSA Chapters that create and host an informational display table by Oct. 1 are eligible to receive a special giveaway from Simple Green®, featuring products selected especially for their CTE program. Official rules, submission guidelines and full details are available on the Back-to-School webpage.
Professional Development Opportunities Coming Up in October
SkillsUSA's 2026–27 professional development is a series of virtual sessions for chapter advisors, from monthly Town Halls to hands-on technical training with industry partners. Here's what's coming up in October:
Advisor Town Hall | Monday, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m. ET
Start the month with updates from the national office, practical resources and live Q&A. Town Halls are held the first Monday of each month, October through May.
SkillsUSA Pathful 101 + Reporting | Wednesday, Oct. 7, 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. ET
Learn how to navigate the platform, connect with industry professionals and bring real-world career learning into your classroom. You'll also see how Pathful reports can support your chapter.
Technical Session: Ignite the Shop with John Deere | Thursday, Oct. 8, noon ET
Explore careers in diesel equipment technology and take home a basic electrical lesson and demonstration for your classroom. You'll also learn about the John Deere TECH Program and how to connect with local dealerships.
Introduction to the Chapter Excellence Program | Tuesday, Oct. 13, 5 p.m. ET
Get an overview of the Chapter Excellence Program and how it can help your chapter set goals and earn national recognition.
Sessions are open to registered professional members. See the full 2026–27 schedule and registration links. Not a member yet? Register at register.skillsusa.org.
Level Up Your Membership — and Earn Free SkillsUSA Resources!
SkillsUSA advisors have an extra reason to grow their chapters this year!
Advisors who register at least 15 student members in one technical program, along with one or more instructors as professional members, by Nov. 15 will receive a free SkillsUSA Educational Resource.
Chapters can also earn SkillsUSA Framework banners by growing their membership over last year. Chapters that register 25 more members than last year will receive a SkillsUSA Framework banner, while chapters registering 50 or more additional members will receive two Chapter Framework banners.
Qualifying advisors will receive an email after Nov. 15 with instructions for redeeming their incentives.
Start recruiting now, grow your chapter and Level Up your SkillsUSA membership!
REMINDER: Ignite the Shop with John Deere: A Technical Session for Educators
John Deere is here to help! Join us for a technical session focused on diesel equipment technology, skilled trades, and career pathways.
Thursday, October 8 | Noon – 12:50 p.m. ET
Educators will explore John Deere resources and support for instructors and programs, including a basic electrical lesson and demonstration, the John Deere TECH Program, dealership career pathways, and opportunities to connect with local John Deere dealerships.
John Deere is ready to partner with SkillsUSA educators and help prepare the next generation of skilled professionals.
Help Us Celebrate Excellence in Trade and Industrial Education: Nominations Due Oct. 30
Know someone who is making a difference in Trade and Industrial Education? The ACTE T&I Division, in partnership with SkillsUSA, invites you to nominate an outstanding professional whose dedication, leadership and contributions are helping strengthen career and technical education. Honorees will be recognized through the National Trade and Industrial Education Division Awards at the annual ACTE CareerTech VISION conference.
Please note: The Trade and Industrial Division Awards are separate from the ACTE Excellence Awards.
This year’s conference takes place Dec. 2–5 in New Orleans, and the nomination deadline is
Oct. 30, 2026. Eligible individuals may be nominated in the categories below, and self-nominations are welcome. If you submit a nomination on someone else’s behalf, please notify the nominee.
For additional conference information, please visit ACTE CareerTech VISION.
Careers in Your Community Challenge
The U.S. Department of Education has launched the Careers in Your Community Challenge, the fourth challenge in its CTE Momentum series to prepare high school students for rewarding careers and increase access to career and technical education (CTE). The challenge invites high schools to propose solutions that improve career exploration at their schools. Submissions are due by Nov. 19, 2026 at 6 p.m. ET, and up to 10 winning teams will receive an equal share of the $50,000 prize pool.
Ready to get started? CTE teachers can review the challenge details, selection criteria and available resources with students, then work together to identify opportunities to strengthen career exploration at your schools. Subscribe to the CTE Momentum newsletter for challenge updates and reminders.
Beauty on the Move
Eighteen cosmetology students from Lake Marion Technology Center in South Carolina turned a building at Claflin University into a full mobile salon, complete with facials, braids, manicures, wig installs and QR-code check-in.
Five hours later they had served more than 100 clients and were turning people away at the door. See how a service project became a real-world salon test.
Read the full story on the SkillsUSA Champions Hub.
Share Your Community Service Stories with SkillsUSA!
The SkillsUSA Champions digital hub provides new content frequently, from inspiring features to stories about the great work chapters and partners are doing. We know your chapters are doing some amazing community service work this holiday season and we would love to write about it. To submit a story idea, send us the details through our “Submit a Story” link, and we’ll contact you.
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